prisons

Georgia “One Strike Act”: Even More Life Sentences, Even Less Parole

In late February, senators in Georgia introduced a bill known as the One Strike Act. Though the name—a riff of…

March 2, 2026

When Prisons Ban Visitors With Felony Records, Everybody Loses

On August 29, 2020—a date I had been counting down to for 10 years—I walked out of South Central Correctional…

February 19, 2026

Audit: Widespread Failures in Federal Prisons’ Use of Halfway House System

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is not only continuing to incarcerate people past the point when they should have…

February 18, 2026

“An Attempt to Shift This Dynamic”—House Revives Prison Libraries Act

On January 27 lawmakers reintroduced the Prison Libraries Act, the first federal bill to establish and expand library services within…

January 28, 2026

The Last Days of Parole

For the first time in six years, in 2025 the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles allowed more people…

January 26, 2026

“Your Life Is Over”: Prison Guards on 16-Hour Shifts With No Backup

Three decades ago when I began my prison sentence, corrections officers worked eight-hour shifts. Some did the work well and…

January 6, 2026

Fixing Electronics in Prison

There are few soft surfaces in prison, so when one of us drops a pair of glasses or a radio…

December 29, 2025

DOJ Opens Wildcard Investigation Into Colorado Prisons, Youth Centers

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has announced a special investigation into conditions inside Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC)…

December 11, 2025

As Gang Power Expands, Protective Custody in Prisons Is Changing

During my nearly 30 years of incarceration in the Tennessee prison system, there has always been a need for protective…

December 8, 2025

Prisoners Sue Aramark, Contractor for Both Kitchen Service and Commissary

Commissary vendors, which provide the food and hygiene items sold to incarcerated people at a markup, have for years reaped…

December 3, 2025